Threats to the Thermal Mineralized Waters Used for Therapeutic Purposes in Jordan

Although Jordan is a country with very limited water resources, the country is rich in its thermal mineralized water possessing curative properties, historically used for the therapy of a variety of ailments. Due to the country’s increasing water demand resulting from population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, extractions from the groundwater sources feeding the thermal mineralized springs has started to affect negatively the discharged quantities from the springs. In addition, urbanization, mining activities, over-exploited groundwater resources in general and severe drop in the level of the Dead Sea are leading to declining discharge of springs in general, and thermal mineralized in special, deteriorating water quality and contamination by human activities. In this article, the current quantitative and qualitative situation of the thermal mineralized springs is given and the threats to their discharges and quantities are discussed. In addition, some water policy changes and measures are suggested to conserve these therapeutic waters for the use of generations to come and to alleviate their depletion and quality deterioration on the social and economic state of Jordan.

Principles of Technology for Bottling Medicinal Mineral Waters of Sairme Using the Example of Source №3a

Sairme mineral water, one of the famous mineral waters in Georgia, is renowned for its exceptional healing properties. The distinctiveness and therapeutic benefits of the naturally sourced mineral water, known as “Sairme”, stem from its rich array of microelements, notably including iron and manganese. Since 1948, the bottling of Sairme mineral water has been a prominent activity. Named after the Sairme deposit, this mineral water is packaged in various formats to cater to diverse consumer preferences. The bottling process involves transporting the mineral water from wells to the bottling plant through pipelines. Prior to bottling, the mineral water undergoes meticulous processing stages in adherence to current Georgian and international regulations. This process ensures that the concentration of trace elements in the bottled water is minimized, maintaining its purity and quality. Given the importance of preserving the microelements present in bottled mineral water, our research is dedicated to optimizing the technological process. Our objective is to safeguard the valuable microelements while ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety in the final product.

Diversity and Adaptations of Immature Diptera in Semiaquatic Habitats at Shorelines of Hypersaline Lakes in the Crimea,with a Brief Review of Diptera in Mineralized Bodies of Water

The order Diptera(Insecta)is one of animal groups most successful in the colonization of mineralized shallow aquatic and semiaquatic environments.At the same time,the taxonomic composition of Diptera,their role in

Impact of the 6 February 2023 Earthquake in Turkey on Borjomi Mineral Water Wells

The study of Borjomi mineral water deposit starts from the 30 s of XIX century. Chemical composition of Borjomi deposit mineral water is of great importance for study of issues of mineral water formation, creation of geodynamic model of the deposit and increasing of useful resources. The impact of several strong earthquakes in the region on the wells of the deposit is described. Stability of chemical composition of Borjomi deposit mineral water is proved.

Evaluation of thermal water in patients with functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome accompanying constipation

AIM： To evaluate the efficacy of water supplementation treatment in patients with functional dyspepsia or irritable bowe syndrome （IBS） accompanying predominant constipation. METHODS： A total of 3872 patients with functional dyspepsia and 3609 patients with irritable bowel syndrome were enrolled in the study by 18 Italina thermal centres. Patients underwent a first cycle of thermal therapy for 21 d. A year later patients were re-evaluated at the same centre and received another cycle of thermal therapy. A questionnare to collect personal data on social and occupational status, family and pathological case history, life style, clinical records, utilisation of welfare and health structure and devices was administered to each patient at basal time and one year after each thermal treatment. Sixty patients with functional dyspepsia and 20 with IBS and 80 healthy controls received an evaluation of gastric output and oro-cecal transit time by breath test analysis. Breath test was performed at basal time and after water supplementaton therapies. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated at the same time points. Breath samples were analyzed with a mass spectometer and a gascromatograph. Results were expressed as T1/2 and T-lag for octanoic add breath test and as oro-cecal transit time for lactulose breath test. RESULTS： A significant reduction of prevalence of symptoms was observed at the end of the first and second cycles of thermal therapy in dyspeptic and IBS patients, The analysis of variance showed a real and persistant improvement of symptoms in all patients. After water supplementation for 3 wk a reduction of gastric output was observed in 49 （87.5%） of 56 dyspepUc patients. Both T1/2 and T-lag were significantly reduced after the therapy compared to basal values [91 ± 12 （T1/2） and 53± 11 （T-lag）, Tables 1 and 2] with results of octanoic acid breath test similar to healthy subjects. After water supplementation for 3 wk oro-cecal transit time was shorter than that at the beginning of the study. CONCLUSION： Mineral water supplementation treatment for functional dyspepsia or conspipation accompanying IBS can improve gastric add output and intestinal transit time.

Effects of natural mineral-rich water consumption on the expression of sirtuin 1 and angiogenic factors in the erectile tissue of rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome

Consuming a high-fructose diet induces metabolic syndrome （MS）-Iike features, including endothelial dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is an early manifestation of endothelial dysfunction and systemic vascular disease. Because mineral deficiency intensifies the deleterious effects of fructose consumption and mineral ingestion is protective against MS, we aimed to characterize the effects of 8weeks of natural mineral-rich water consumption on the structural organization and expression of vascular growth factors and receptors on the corpus cavernosum （CC） in 10% fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats （FRUCT）. Differences were not observed in the organization of the CC either on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） or the components of the angiopoietins/Tie2 system. However, opposing expression patterns were observed for VEGF receptors （an increase and a decrease for VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, respectively） in FRUCT animals, with these patterns being strengthened by mineral-rich water ingestion. Mineral-rich water ingestion （FRUCTMIN） increased the proportion of smooth muscle cells compared with FRUCT rats and induced an upregulatory tendency of sirtuin I expression compared with the control and FRUCT groups. Western blot results were consistent with the dual immunofluorescence evaluation. Plasma oxidized low-density lipoprotein and plasma testosterone levels were similar among the experimental groups, although a tendency for an increase in the former was observed in the FRUCTMIN group. The mineral-rich water-treated rats presented changes similar to those observed in rats treated with MS-protective polyphenol-rich beverages or subjected to energy restriction, which led us to hypothesize that the effects of mineral-rich water consumption may be more vast than those directly observed in this study.

Advances in interaction mechanism of water(gas) on clay minerals in China

Dealing with large-scale deformations in soft-rock tunnels is a very important issue in soft-rock tunnel engineering. The mechanism of this large-scale deformation is closely related to the physical and chemical properties of soft rock, interaction between soft rock and water, and interaction between soft rock and gas contained in soft rock. In order to gain a better predictive understanding of the governing principles associated with this phenomenon, we used experimental and theoretical methods to study the effects of point defect on physical and chemical properties of soft rock and mechanism of interaction between water(gas) and soft rock. Firstly, we calculated the impurity formation energies and transition energy levels of defects by using the first-principle calculation, the results showed the microscopic mechanism of defects substitution in kaolinite and effects of defects on the structure of kaolinite. Moreover,comparing the experimental and theoretical results, we found the mechanism of interaction between water and soft rock. The results show that water is one of the most important factors which can induce various kinds of geological disasters. At last, the interaction between soft rock and surrounding gas as CO2, CH4 and CO is disused, the influence of surrounding gas on soft rock should not be ignored.

A preliminary study on the spatial distribution characteristics and causes of strontium-rich mineral water in the Dushan complex

The mountain rocks in the Dushan Complex are Sr-rich granite with a much higher Sr level than those in other crustal lithospheres in eastern China. That presents a high potential for developing Sr-rich mineral water. In this study, 6 groups of rock samples, together with 30 groups of water samples, were collected. Combining with the existing data, the Sr contents in three different types of underground water were obtained, which are the Quaternary pore water, the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones and the tectonic bedrock fissure water. On the basis of preliminary understanding for the distribution characteristics of Sr-rich mineral water in the Dushan Mountain region, the causes for the Sr-rich mineral water were investigated. Our results showed that the Sr content of the rocks in the studied area ranges from 988 to 1 950 μg/g. In the horizontal direction, those in both the pore water and the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones show high values in the west but low ones in the east, and high ones in the south but low ones in the north. Furthermore, both types of water meet the standard for Sr-rich mineral water in the western areas. In the vertical direction, the Sr content shows the lowest value in pore water(the average value is 0.707 mg/L), middle value in the meshed bedrock fissure water in weathered zones(the average value is 1.415 mg/L) and the highest value in the tectonic bedrock fissure water(the average value is 8.331 mg/L). It was thought that the widely-developed Sr-rich granite in this region provides physical sources for the formation of Sr-rich mineral water. The continuous dissolution of Sr during underground water runoff is the internal mechanism. In addition, the hydraulic interrelations may exist between the three vertical aquifers, leading a continuous accumulation of the Sr level during infiltration.

Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Sediment Organic Carbon Mineralization Under Different Water Conditions in Coastal Wetland of a Subtropical Estuary

The changes in soil organic carbon(C) mineralization as affected by anthropogenic disturbance directly determine the role of soils as C source or sink in the global C budget. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of anthropogenic disturbance(aquaculture pond, pollutant discharge and agricultural activity) on soil organic C mineralization under different water conditions in the Minjiang River estuary wetland, Southeast China. The results showed that the organic C mineralization in the wetland soils was significantly affected by human disturbance and water conditions(P < 0.001), and the interaction between human disturbance activities and water conditions was also significant(P < 0.01). The C mineralization rate and the cumulative mineralized carbon dioxide-carbon(CO_2-C)(at the 49th day) ranked from highest to lowest as follows: Phragmites australis wetland soil > aquaculture pond sediment > soil near the discharge outlet > rice paddy soil. This indicated that human disturbance inhibited the mineralization of C in soils of the Minjiang River estuary wetland, and the inhibition increased with the intensity of human disturbance. The data for cumulative mineralized CO_2-C showed a good fit(R^2 > 0.91) to the first-order kinetic model C_t = C_0(1 – exp(–kt)). The kinetic parameters C_0, k and C_0 k were significantly affected by human disturbance and water conditions. In addition, the total amount of mineralized C(in 49 d) was positively related to C_0, C_0 k and electrical conductivity of soils. These findings indicated that anthropogenic disturbance suppressed the organic C mineralization potential in subtropical coastal wetland soils, and changes of water pattern as affected by human activities in the future would have a strong influence on C cycling in the subtropical estuarine wetlands.

Water in Mantle-derived Xenoliths in the Hannuoba Basalt

: Minerals of various mantle-derived xenoliths from the Hannuoba basalt in Hebei Province have been studied by means of IR spectroscopy. The results show that all xenoliths from the mantle at depths <75 km contain trace amounts of water (0.45%–11.6×10?2% H2O). The data of about 0.1% H2O contained in primary pyrolite estimated by earlier studies may be on the high side. The water might enter the frameworks of olivine, pyroxene and garnet earlier than it entered those of amphibole and phlogopite. The presence of water in amphibole and phlogopite may be a local phenomenon of water enrichment, which is related to relatively small-scale magmatic or metasomatic events although they can contain a hundred times more water than pyroxene contains. There is a little more water (1.11%–3.01×10?2% of H2O mostly) in xenoliths from the Hannuoba basalt than in those from mid-ocean ridge basalt and kimberlites of South Africa (less than 1×10?2% of H2O mostly). This indicates the heterogeneity of water in time and space in the upper mantle. The presence of trace amounts of water in mantle-derived anhydrous silicate minerals provides basic data for us to understand the distribution of water in the upper mantle and the role of water in the mantle dynamic and geochemical processes.

Classification of Various Bottled Mineral Waters Marketed in Djibouti

In this study, nineteen different brands of bottled mineral waters (7 brands local and 12 brands imported) were collected from supermarkets and independent food stores throughout Djibouti. The chemical composition mentioned on the labels of the nineteen bottled mineral waters has made the subject of a first verification by Ionic Balance Error (IBE). It was found out of the nineteen brands selected, 12 brands (2 brands local and 10 brands imported) had acceptable charge balance error. Correlation Analysis (CA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) were used to analyze the data collected from the labels of bottled water. The obtained results showed that the 12 brands of studied waters can be grouped in 4 distinct classes with similar chemical characteristics. Two local and one imported brands have the same chemical composition but marketed under different names. It was observed that the chemical content local water brands were within the normal range prescribed by both WHO and USEPA except five imported water brands that have concentration values Ca, HCO3, Mg and SO4 beyond acceptable standards. Total hardness values classified most of the studied brands from moderate to very hard water.

Thermodynamic Evaluation of Mineral Balance in Water Thickness of the Soda Lake Doroninskoe(Eastern Transbaikalia,Russia)

In recent years,lakes,including salted,attract the attention of researchers,also when reconstructing last climate changes using the bottom sediments(Solotchina et al.,2008,et al.).In this case the different geochemical

High-Precision Direct Determination of the ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr Isotope Ratio of Bottled Sr-Rich Natural Mineral Drinking Water Using MC-ICP-MS

Strontium has four naturally occurring stable isotopes,84Sr,86Sr,87Sr,and 88Sr,with abundances of 0.56,9.87,approximately 7.04,and 82.53 atomic %,respectively.The 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratio is variable due to the addition of radiogenic 87Sr produced by the beta decay of 87Rb with a half-life of 4.88 ± 0.05 Ga.Thus,

Pilot Trial on the Efficacy and Safety of a Natural Mineral Water Rich in Hydrogen Carbonate on Functional Dyspepsia and Heartburn

Background: Dyspepsia and heartburn are among the most frequent complaints of the upper gastrointestinal tract impacting quality of life. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of drinking a natural mineral water (medicinal product category “Heilwasser” in Germany) high in hydrogen carbonate (Staatl. Fachingen STILL) on functional dyspeptic complaints and heartburn. Methods: 56 men and women with self-reported heartburn were enrolled to this one-arm pilot study. They had to drink 1.5 L of a hydrogen carbonate rich mineral water each day over a course of six weeks. Participants reported the number and duration of heartburn episodes in a daily dairy. The Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ), Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia questionnaire (QOLRAD) and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GILQI) were used to assess the therapeutic course of the treatment and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) to assess general quality of life. Mean ± standard deviation were calculated and pre- and post-treatment changes were compared using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The consumption of a hydrogen carbonate rich mineral water decreased the number of heartburn episodes per week significantly by 4.8 ± 8.2 at the end of the study (p < 0.001). The duration of episodes was also significantly reduced by 25.7 minutes after six weeks of intervention (p < 0.001). Accordingly, the subjectively perceived severity of heartburn, regurgitation and dyspeptic complaints as well as the GERD dimension as assessed by Reflux Disease Questionnaire improved significantly. There was a significant improvement in the disease-specific quality of life as measured by the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (p < 0.001) and by the Quality Of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (p < 0.001) questionnaires and the general health-related quality of life as assessed by SF-12 (p < 0.007). Conclusions: The present pilot study provides evidence that supplementation with natural mineral water rich in hydrogen carbonate may improve heartburn and dyspeptic symptoms, which finally resulted in an improvement of the subjectively perceived quality of life. Drinking mineral water rich in hydrogen carbonate may be an alternative remedy for the treatment of dyspeptic symptoms and heartburn. Trial Registration: Eudra CT No 2013-001256-36.

Kangquan-Brand Water Mineralization & Purification Device for Faucets

The highly efficient KQ series Kangquan brand water mineralization and purification devices for faucets, produced by the Tianjin Kangquan Purification Equipment Factory, enables people to obtain pure mineralized water from their taps. The products combine the strong points

Analysis of Quality Mineral Water of Serbia:Region Arandjelovac

In this paper it is presented the analysis of basic physical and chemical parameters, alkalinity and acidity, the analysis of kations, anions, heavy metals, microbiological analysis and determination of uranium content in waters of Serbia from 10 springs of Arandjelovac region and 2 samples of bottled drinking water. It is done by different methods of analysis according to which conclusion about the content and the quality of these waters can be made. The pH value of analysed waters shows that waters from springs Maiden spring, Je?ovac, Vrelo and Svin?ine are slightly acid, while mineral waters from springs Aleksijevi?, Exploitation and Talpara are slightly basic. The sample from Olga’s spring has slightly lower pH value. According to Regulation on the hygiene of drinking water, conductivity should be less than 1000 μS/cm. This condition is fulfilled by waters from springs Aleksijevi?, Talpara (ordinary), Maiden and Olga’s spring, Svin?ine and water from city supply system. Springs Je?ovac and Vrelo have slightly increased conductivity, while springs Exploitation and Talpara have conductivity significantly above the allowed values (mineral). Analysed natural mineral waters contain only hydrogencarbonates (bicarbonate). According to the content of bicarbonate it was concluded that samples from springs Exploitation, Talpara (mineral), Vrelo and Svin?ine belong to the category of bicarbonate waters, as the content of hydrogencarbonate in these samples is higher than 600 mg/dm3. Analysed mineral waters don’t show acidity towards methyl orange, which means that acidity of analysed waters comes from dissolved carbon acid.

Hydrophilic characteristics of soft rock in deep mines

A series of water absorption tests on dried soft rock have been conducted by the intelligent testing system for water absorption tests in deep soft rock, including tests of water absorption with and without pres- sure. The results show that the water absorbing capacity of rock with a certain pressure is larger than that of rock without pressure： however, the relationship between the water absorbing percentage and the time can be expressed by w（t） = a（l - e^-bt）. In hi-logarithmic coordinates, the hydrophilic relationship with time in tests with pressure could be characterized by linearity, while they present concave or convex in tests without pressure. Based on the hypothesis that each influential factor is irrelevant and they have a linear correlation with the water absorbing capacity, we calculated the weight coefficient of each factor according to experimental results under different conditions. The calculations demonstrate that the effec- tive porosity, content of smectite and kaolinite are all positively correlated with the water absorption capacity of rock; meanwhile, the fractal dimension of the effective pores presents a negative correlation with the water absorption capacity of rock. The water absorption capacity with pressure increases with increasing illite, chlorite and chlorite/smectite formation and a decrease in illite/smectite formation and the fractal dimension of the effective pores, while it is opposite in tests without pressure. The weight coefficient of smectite is smallest among positive factors, and the fractal dimension of the effective pores is the smallest amongst the negative factors.

The Degradation and Pollution of Soils on the Territory of the Kovykta Gas Condensate Field

In this paper, research results from the time interval 2002-2012 are used to give an account of the chemical composition of soils on the territory of the Kovykta gas condensate field. The findings presented provide a better understanding of the ecological state of soil cover, its resilience to anthropogenic impacts, and its possible disturbance caused by the drilling pad construction activity, and by the laying of geophysical profiles. An analysis of soil pollution for the study territory generally showed that the soils are polluted with chemical elements which refer to toxicity classes： Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Ba and Mn. High levels ofoil products were detected near boreholes. Strong mineralization was recorded in the soil near borehole. It has a chloride-sodium chemical composition. As a result of the construction of foundation pits, recesses, ditches and earth embankments, the soil is totally destroyed, and rock outcrops show up. Disturbances of the sod cover due to road construction or even by all-terrain vehicles in these extreme conditions entail an accelerated development of linear erosion to form scours and gullies. Elimination of the canopy layer leads to an increase in surface heating, and to an acceleration of permafrost thawing. Swamping is accelerated on negative relief forms due to the increased entry of melt waters.

Analytical Results of Cam Ranh-Tuy Phong Fault Characteristics and Its Relation to Mud Eruption in Nam Trung Bo Area, Viet Nam

By analyzing the satellite images, topology map, geology map, geomorphology map, and field survey data, this study has determined the Cam Ranh-Tuy Phong fault in the South Central area, Viet Nam has NE-SW orientation and inclines to SE with high slope angle of 70-80°. During the Pliocene-Quaternary period, the Cam Ranh-Tuy Phong fault is left-lateral movement with the extension mechanisms, which formed the graben have an NE-SW orientation, deposited by Quaternary sediment. The fracture systems and fault are the channels for the mineral water and hot water to move up from the deep zone in the area of Cam Thinh Dong, Ha Nhi, Vinh Hao, Nha Me, Tuy Thinh..., and also to be the channels for the mud material, clay and underground water to move from below zone to the surface to form high mud mounds. The analytical results of clay mud have identified clay mineral composition to be main montmorilonit, illite, kaolinite, calcite, chlorite. The occurrence of montmorilonit minerals in this study area is characterized by the alkali-rich environment. The chemical composition of calcite is determined forming in the environment of with pH 〉 9, characterized by the add climates. Besides, other analytical results of clay mud also identified some minerals, such as： ankerite （Fe, Mg）CO3, calcite and some accessory minerals such as： fluorite, lepidocrokit with the participation hydrothermal process.